Summer Road Trip Series: Historical Battles Along The 401

Most 17th century military campaigns were waged over days, months, or even years. But who has that kind of time to appreciate the battles, raids, and skirmishes that made our little Upper-Canadian corner of North America what it is today?

Relax!, grab something Jumbo (or Venti) for your cup holder, and get ready for a warp-speed tour of the past: Getting out of the car is optional on this barely-off-the-highway 5-hour Toronto-to-Ottawa road trip through our proud military history…

1. Battle of York
If possible, start your trip by the Lakeshore in Toronto at Old Fort York (then take the 410 or Don Valley Parkway to the 401) This outpost was the scene of Upper Canada’s famed Battle of York, in which American troops captured and then burned much of the town during the War of 1812 before it was retaken by British forces. A major tourist destination for history and military buffs alike.
Location: 43.646013, -79.416389
More: http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/fort-york.htm

2. Battle of Bowmanville
Make your way east along the 401 and you’ll soon come to the scene of one of the only large-scale acts of World War Two hostilities on Canadian soil: A prison riot. In 1942, several hundred German Prisoners of War being held in Bowmanville revolted and barricaded themselves in a mess hall. In true Canadian fashion, the Ontario-based troops met the prisoners` improvised utensil weapons with baseball bats and a fire hose. Calm was restored and no one was killed.
Location: 43.913043, -78.689617
More:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowmanville,_Ontario#The_Battle_of_Bowmanville

3. Attack on Kingston Harbour
Many gloss over Fort Henry as a vast but uneventful outpost that saw little action since it was built in the early 1800s. Fact is that Kingston repelled a gutsy attack of seven American vessels in 1812. With twice the numbers, the British eventually repelled the insurgents. To this day, you can’t get a decent piece of New York-style cheesecake anywhere in Kingston.
Location: 43.975028, -78.706055
More: http://www.hamilton-scourge.hamilton.ca/kingston.htm
http://www.forthenry.com/

4. The capture of Gananoque
During the actual 1812 part of the War of 1812, a U.S. force of more than 100 riflemen attacked and seized this 1000 Islands gateway. At the time, it was a crucial forwarding point for supplies moving along the St. Lawrence from Montreal to Kingston.
Location: 44.231056, -76.459522
More:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Gananoque

5. 1812 Brockville/Elizabethtown, raids
In February of 1813, 200 Americans crossed the frozen St. Lawrence River to occupy Elizabethtown (now Brockville), seize military stores, free American prisoners, and then capture British military prisoners.
Location: 44.330318, -76.16391
More: http://www.discover1812.com/bulletin/32

6. Prescott/Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site
Just before you turn north onto the 416 to Ottawa, take in Prescott (albeit at 100 km/h), and check out Fort Wellington, as well as the location of the Battle of the Windmill. This national historic site chronicles the November 1838 fighting that took place after the Upper Canada Rebellion, when Loyalist forces of the Upper Canadian government defeated a U.S.-led invasion attempt. Back in 1760, the area was also the site of the Seven Years War Battle of the Thousand Islands, in which British forces overpowered the French in an epic naval incursion.
Location: 44.602214, -75.690712
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescott,_Ontario
http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/windmill/index.aspx

7. The canals of Grenville, Rideau
While Ottawa itself never saw much in the way of war on its own doorstep, nearby towns such as Grenville and Leeds felt the pinch during the War of 1812. In those towns and in much-larger Bytown (now Ottawa), these waterways were constructed – among other reasons – to prevent any future enemy military threats to supplies for the area.
Location: 44.672559, -75.562592
More: http://www.waynecook.com/aleeds-grenville.html

Beyond Ottawa:

If your main goal isn’t to get to Ottawa (or to get to Ottawa right away), consider continuing-on a few kilometres and cruising by these other locations of pivotal battles from campaigns-gone-by:

8. Battle at Crysler’s Farm/Hoople’s Creek
One of the great, decisive battles of the Anglo-American War, this massive campaign waged with thousands of men ended in the British/Upper Canadian defeat of a much larger (but badly-moraled) American force. If this engagement had gone the other way, there would have been no Rideau Canal…and possibly no Canada.
Location: 47.813155, -77.958984
More: http://www.cryslersfarm.com/
http://www.lostvillages.ca/en/html/dickinson_s_landing.html

9. Battle of the Châteauguay
On October 26, 1813, a force of 1,600 French Canadians and Mohawk warriors repulsed an American force of about 2,600. Along with the Battle of Crysler’s Farm, The Chateauguay caused the Americans to abandon the St Lawrence Campaign and their quest to invade Canada.
Location: 48.166085, -77.958984
More: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/chateauguay/natcul/natcul1/natcul1g.aspx

Other major Ontarian battles:

Niagara/Battle of Lundy’s Lane
One of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812, this bloodbath actually happened in the summer of 1814, in what is now downtown Niagara Falls. These days, decisive to-the-death defeats have been replaced by casinos, wax museums, and 24-hour mini-putts.
Location: 45.4052, -73.839111
More: http://www.niagarafallsmuseum.ca/legacy.html

Battle of Stoney Creek
As a result of a gross underestimation of British forces in the area, British units attacked an American encampment in at night in what is now the Greater Hamilton Area. After the capture of the two senior officers of the American force, the British won the day. The win was a turning point in the defence of Upper Canada.
Location: 43.090328, -79.106026
More: http://www.battlefieldhouse.ca/reenactment.asp

Leave a Reply